{
  "id": 14176860,
  "title": "Normalcy Bias Prevented Me from Recognizing My Daughter’s Heart Failure",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/normalcy-bias-prevented-me-from-recognizing-my-daughters-heart-failure",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-13T10:00:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/10/13/normalcy-bias-prevented-me-from-recognizing-my-daughter-s-heart-failure/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the second year of her daughter Karuna's life, the writer fell into a state known as normalcy bias, which is the inclination to presume that circumstances will persist as they always have, without anticipating significant deviations from expectations. The writer had two thriving children and anticipated that their third would be in the same healthy condition. Karuna's first year of life was filled with happiness. Her younger son, Sohaum, delightedly squeezed Karuna's cheeks as she giggled and played on the shaggy carpet next to her crib. Karuna's older brother, Abhay, carefully held both of her hands during her first steps and then allowed her to walk independently, while her wife, Amisha, remained consistently exhausted yet exuded an overwhelming love. The family reached a peak, believing it would remain that way.\n\nHowever, a few months after Karuna's first birthday, she began refusing meals, initially rejecting pureed vegetables and fruits. Initially, the writer attributed her picky eating habits to preference. Yet, at her 18-month pediatrician appointment, Karuna's weight was significantly lower than that of her peers, falling below 97% of children her age. Despite the pediatrician's concerns, the writer initially remained unconcerned, initiating consultations with a nutritionist and administering PediaSure to supplement Karuna's diet. The writer's optimism was misplaced, as Karuna's condition worsened. She consumed only olives, exhibited irritability, and required constant care. Her day care center contacted the family, noting Karuna's disinterest in play activities and constant rest. One day, while observing Karuna's labored breathing, the writer took her back to the pediatrician, who initially suspected pneumonia. After five days of antibiotics, Karuna showed no improvement.\n\nOn Karuna's second birthday, the writer noticed swelling around her daughter's eyes and fluid accumulation in her eyelids. The family was overwhelmed with joy, but the pediatrician suggested a chest X-ray at Boston Children's Hospital. After the X-ray revealed that Karuna's heart was more than double the normal size, and her lungs were filled with fluid, the writer's heart sank. His medical experience in treating heart disease patients made the diagnosis clear: Karuna had heart failure. In slow-developing crises, individuals often disregard initial subtle signs until they reach a critical point. The writer realized they were in a state of crisis as the reality of Karuna's deteriorating health set in.\n\nKaruna was admitted to Boston Children's Hospital's pediatric ICU, where the writer spent sleepless nights alongside his wife. During this time, the writer engaged in discussions about the medical science involved, held Amisha as she cried, and sought solace from his father. By December, Karuna returned home, stabilized but requiring nearly a dozen medications to support her heart. The cause of Karuna's illness remained unclear, with genetic testing revealing a variation in her genetic code, possibly linked to the parvovirus B19 infection, which typically causes Fifth Disease. As the uncertainty persisted, the family was meant to return to their routine, despite the looming possibilities of worsening conditions, potential heart transplant, medication dependence for life, or a full recovery.",
  "summary": "In crises that develop gradually, we tend to ignore the signs until they reach an acute tipping point, writes Dr. Raj Panjabi.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}